An Interview with Niharika Shrivastava, the author of TO BE CONTINUED..

Niharika Srivastava, an 18 yr. old girl studying English honours from D.U. has been brought up in Delhi itself, albeit born in Allahabad, U.P. She has always been a linguistic student during her school days too. She started writing as being appreciated by her parents & teachers. She did many plays, debate & likewise, competitions have been a part of her engrossment. Apart from it, she is a studious girl who wants achieve heights in future so as to make her parents proud. She pondered to write something which would take people to their school days & afterlife, the struggle they suffered from & how they reached their goals. So, all the readers GO ahead & let it be continued…….

About the novel

“Life”, a word made from four alphabets is the reason behind everyone’s existence, quite ironical but a true fact. A human is raised with so many aspirations & dreams but eventually, their destiny throws in their wallet whatever there is to be, It has to be accepted by all. Nevika’s life is a path for all the stuck ones who led down themselves when they confront with battles rather continuing her journey is the right archery to hit the even against all odds & someone who shows the same courage is named victor someday. Her journey of life can be set as an illustration of continuing the path even if it is difficult to move on but eventually we have to because everything happens for a reason. After getting rejected from Sid, she thought she won’t be able to even live her life, achieving anything is quite a far matter, never know what is going to astonish in future, if she would have stopped there, she must not reach where she is, it all happened as she scaled herself up to that level of success where she always wanted to be & god had also carved the same for her rather the path got a dilemma in between but all well that proves well, she proved herself being the best of her, she was never being aware that she will actually become an I.A.S, it was just a thought for her but when she got the word she realised no ball is hard to make a goal rather the kick must have that obstinacy.

Never decimate present by pondering for the bad past, let it be in the memories only, this is what she applied in her life & becomes an inspiration for all who want to excel the stage which they want to. “Challenges are what make life interesting & overcoming them is what makes it meaningful”………

1) You have chosen an interesting title for your book, what made you finalise this title?Well, I m so glad if people found it interesting…the reason why I gave such a title for my novel is to spread a message among the readers to continue their life, no matter what kind of situations they are going through…life is very precious & it should be continue even after every strom just like ‘Nevika’….

2) In the course of your book, you briefly touch upon bullying in school. How important is it, according to you, to make the students aware that their words could harm people?

Actually bullying is really a major problem which students confront during their schooling. I understand the plight because I myself had gone through this many times. It is very important to make students understand that their behaviour & words can leave a deep impact on others. Either it can make their day or can deteriorate their emotions & leave them depressed as well. So, the guardians & teachers should take care on the attitude of students, must teach them good values.

3) You have written about the life of Nevika (your protagonist), how did you craft her character? Is she similar to you?

Nevika is a very pure & serene girl with a pleasing attitude. She loves to make others happy, especially for her parents. She wants to reach heights achieving all her aims making her parents proud. She carries lots of dreams & aspirations. For her, every emotion is equally important, it’s not just when she falls in love with siddharth but with her friends, family & every other acquaintance, she devotes herself to every relation.Because she decided to come up with herself after her heartbreak & reached all her goals in the end. Well, yes can say this character is a bit of me.

4) Why did you choose to focus more on the adolescent phase of Nevika’s life the most in the book?

 As we all know adolescence is the most sensitive age in everyone’s life & we face so many dilemmas during the time where we are completely trapped with the amalgam of feelings. Love is not mere a word spoken rather it’s real meaning is latent so deep where very few are able to reach & understand. Generally at this age, we  misunderstand infatuation with love & becomes depressed for a long time. The aim of my novel is to tell all the teenagers that this situation in every other’s life & how to recover from it. It is of much big issue rather they just need to be focussed on the right path, everyone can deal with it, all they should understand the root of the problem & then to maintain their emotions is in their hands.

5) According to you what are the things that make Nevika different from other characters? Why should a reader read her story?

Nevika’s startup journey depicts many meanings that LIFE, this word carries. Her life is a challenge which she accepted every moment & moved on with all her efforts, a fight with her disease & later with her heart when she got refused by Siddharth, a puzzle because every other obstacle surrounds her even being a nice soul , she suffers a lot & don’t understand why god always carves pain in her life & last but not the least an inspiration to  continue always no matter what & how much comes on the way. Reading her story will help those who have suffered from such kind of scenarios as these days, very few will teach uh good things to improve because everyone wants to be better than you, so rather for better, the best you could do is to believe in the strength  you have& listen to your guardians or the one who genuinely cares for you.

6) If there was one thing that you wanted to tell your readers, what would it be?

All I want to tell my readers is to come up with the best of them, judge yourself & rectify all the odds to form events because ” life will never let us down till we ourselves lose it from.”

 7) Why did you choose to become a writer?

Ahh… well, becoming a writer was always my dream & passion as well & I was always ready to write on any topic since a very small age. I think I can do well in this field just I want the support from my readers & the change which I want to see in every teenager’s life will be my biggest achievement of being a writer.

8) Now that you are published, any advice for people who are toying with the idea to write?

Well, all I would say, just go ahead with your thoughts, open the cap of the pen & let the lead move on the papers because “every thought is not just a thought but a signal to create something peculiar”……

9) Are you a reader as well? What are your favourite books?

Yes, I am a reader too & I love novels like Silas Marner by George Eliot & many more.

10) How can people connect with you?

 People can contact me on facebook, instagram

I have a page named “to be continued”….

Those who wanna connect me can search me easily on fb.

Zoya: Book Review

Author: Danielle Steel

Book Blurb:

Against the backdrop of the Russian Revolution and World War I Europe, Zoya, young cousin to the Tsar, flees St. Petersburg to Paris to find safety. Her entire world forever changed, she faces hard times and joins the Ballet Russe in Paris. And then, when life is kind to her, Zoya moves on to a new and glittering life in New York. The days of ease are all too brief as the Depression strikes, and she loses everything yet again. It is her career, and the man she meets in the course of it, which ultimately save her, as she rebuilds her life through the war years and beyond. And it is her family that comes to mean everything to her. From the roaring twenties to the 1980’s, Zoya remains a rare and spirited woman whose legacy will live on.

My Review:

Honestly, I was quite sceptical about picking up a Danielle Steele book as I was under an impression that she writes mushy romance that I am not really a fan of. So, I started Zoya with this mindset, and I was pleasantly surprised. Is there romance? Yup…but it also has a story, it also has many other things apart from the romance…which is exactly my cup of tea!

The book also touches upon Russian Revolution. This was quite new for me, as I have not read much about this. In this story, the protagonist (Zoya) is a cousin of the Tsar. So, everything that happened in the revolution is quite detailed. I would definitely like to read more about this era.

Coming to the story, the book starts with a young Zoya who is living in her own bubble. As the author puts it:

“Their life was so comfortable and easy, it seemed cruel that all around them people were sad and hungry.”

The author does a wonderful job setting up a back story. As readers we get contrary pictures as on one hand we have people who are going to dances and on another hand we have people being murdered.

Once the Tsar and his family are kept under house arrest, Zoya escapes Russia with her grandmother. They shift to Russia where they face poverty for the first time. This is so beautifully expressed by the line:

A swan being changed back into a ducking

Here, we see some phenomenal character growth. Zoya changes from a girl who talks only of gowns and parties, now grows up and not only gets a job but fights to keep it.

The romance angle of this romance is quite beautiful. There is a classic triangle as well. Zoya’s grandmother wishes that she marries a much older Russian man, as he is Russian and she believes he would take care of her. She tells Zoya that her life would be simple and she would not have to work anymore! Zoya puts her foot down, stating that she likes to work and would continue to do it irrespective of the fact that she marries or not and the fact that she does not like this person.

One inconsistency that I found in this book was, that when I was reading up on the Russian Revolution, I found that during the era in which the book is based, St. Petersberg was “Petrograd”. But, the characters in the book used the newer name.

Another fact that was slightly off was since Zoya as shown to be such an independent character, I did not like the way she became oh so weak in front of her love. The whole “He saved me” was a bit too much.

Overall, this would be a good read for those who like romance mixed with history,  I rate this book 3 out of 4

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To Be Continued..: Book Review

Author: Niharika Shrivastava

Publisher: Blue Rose Publishers

Book Blurb:

Nevika’s life is a path for all who let themselves down when they confront battles. Rather, continuing the journey is the right archery to hit the even against all odds and someone, who shows the same courage is named a victor someday. So, all the readers, go ahead and let it be continued… Niharika Srivastava, an eighteen year old girl, student of Delhi University decided to write something which is experienced by most of the people at this age. Her vision for life is clearly depicted in her story. Being a budding writer, she expects positive response and inspirations to write more….

My Review:

“To Be Continued…” is a coming of an age story of Nevika. The author starts the story when Nevika is born until she finishes her education. This helps the readers get a context of what she is as a person and why she behaves the way she does. As the author had a range of ages to work with, she does a wonderful job touching many issues that many people face in their life. Along with this, the author also provides solutions as to how these problems can be faced in the best way possible, or if we do not deal with it properly what could be the repercussions. Some of the issues that the author successfully touched upon were dealing with emotions, infatuations, bullying, rude teachers, lack of self-esteem, etc. The inclusions of all these made the book an interesting read.

Along with the story, another major plus of the story was its very earthy characters. While the characters were not overly complex, they had a certain charm to them. The characters were extremely relatable. 

On the flip-side, the pace of the book was extremely fast and the sentence constructions were such that the reading experience became quite jarring. In many places, the author has made use of words that make no sense in that particular context. For eg: a teacher was described as “insole and baneful’ when it should have been “insolent and baneful”. There were many grammatical errors as well.

I feel the book needs to be polished a bit more in terms of language and construction.

Overall, I rate this book:
Cover:3 out of 4
Story: 3 out of 4
Grammar and Language: 1 out 4
Overall:  2 out of 4

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A Beautiful Mind: Book Review

Author: Sylvia Nasar

Genre: Biography, Non-fiction

Publisher: Touchstone

Book Blurb:

Stories of famously eccentric Princetonians abound–such as that of chemist Hubert Alyea, the model for The Absent-Minded Professor, or Ralph Nader, said to have had his own key to the library as an undergraduate. Or the “Phantom of Fine Hall,” a figure many students had seen shuffling around the corridors of the math and physics building wearing purple sneakers and writing numerology treatises on the blackboards. The Phantom was John Nash, one of the most brilliant mathematicians of his generation, who had spiraled into schizophrenia in the 1950s. His most important work had been in game theory, which by the 1980s was underpinning a large part of economics. When the Nobel Prize committee began debating a prize for game theory, Nash’s name inevitably came up–only to be dismissed, since the prize clearly could not go to a madman. But in 1994 Nash, in remission from schizophrenia, shared the Nobel Prize in economics for work done some 45 years previously.

My Review:

I saw the movie that was based on the book first. I loved it so much that I decided to pick this one up. While I knew that the book would be better than the movie (it always is!), I was not prepared to tackle the fact that the movie was nothing like the book! While the movie focused on sensationalising the delusions and the paranoia, the book went many levels down and tackled the issues and the events that were actually important.

The book takes you on a journey of the life of the extraordinary man, John Nash. Since the story begins right at the birth, we come to understand the kind of person that he is. I appreciate the fact that the book paints the good, the bad and the ugly all with the same brush. This helps us to come to know exactly what kind of a person John Nash was.

A beautiful mind is more on the fact that if a person really puts his mind to it, he can come out of a disease that was presumably incurable than the mathematical as well as the economic contributions. The book deals more with the life events than the mathematical equations. I was hoping to read something about how he came upon the Game Theory as well as other discoveries that he made in the field, but I suppose the reason it was omitted was that the field in which Nash worked was so abstract that it would have put off many readers.

The book also focuses on the society’s idea of mental illnesses at the time and the kind of treatment that was meted out to people who suffered from it. It got me thinking that if a person with so many high connections would have to face such a treatment, what about the people who had nobody to back them?

I rate this book a perfect 4 out of 4.

Buy this book

 

 

Should I Fall in Love: Book Review

Author: SHRADHA KHANNA

Publisher: RIGI PUBLICATION

Book Blurb:

A story of Fear….. of not finding forever after and questioning your heart. Naina has always been a strong headed, lively and carefree person. She always felt that there was a reason for everything. She believed in love, commitment and sacrifice, but when her three year old relationship crumble down in front of her she lost all the hope in love and marriage forever. With time and help of her friend, Naina starts afresh in a new city with a new job and people around. For the first time in her life she was not looking for love but a deep urge to stand on her own feet made its way in her life. Little did Naina know her life was going to change? Nothing could prepare her for the storm of love in the shape of Nihal, the confident, persistent and handsome guy she met at her boss housewarming party. Read on to know, will Nihal be able to penetrate the cold walls covered around Naina’s heart or her insecurities are more than enough to lead them on different paths in life. A story where thinking that questioning your heart with “Should I”, can stop you from “Falling In Love”.

My Review:

The story started off on a good premise with a very relatable character, Naina, who is feeling left out while partying with her group of married friends but then it goes downhill.

There are far too many grammatical errors. The narration is weak and the writing changes from past to present and back again alternatively between statements so much that it becomes really jarring for the reader. The pace of the book is not clearly defined, for example right at the starting of the book it is a Saturday evening party, then Neha falls on the couch exhausted and suddenly in the next line it is Sunday morning!

Except for Neha, the other characters and the plot points were too cliched and the love story is just like any other love story that you have read already. The girl meets boys- attraction-trouble-happy ending plot has been overused and does not really contain any freshness.

I rate this book a 1 out of 4.

An Interview with Celeste Young, author of Northern Spring

Tell us something about yourself and your book

I am a Corporate Communications & a PR Professional and work in the member company of a Japanese MNC in India. While my profession has certainly served an inspiration to work on writing the book, I think it’s the individual view of every author that ably tweaks the real life to create a story.

While the first character has glimpses and shades of parts of my life, I have placed the readers on an edge between fiction and reality.

Northern Spring is a celebration of womanhood in its truest sense.

Evangeline McCarthy aka Eva is exactly like your next-door simple woman who has a hard time trusting people due to her past experiences. While the core of these issues is a failed relationship, the optimism and ability of a woman to make choices even in challenging times is shown through Eva. Every female reader will relate to the circumstances mentioned therewith at some point of time in life or the other.

Eva is incidentally the first protagonist of ‘At the Crossroads’ series. The trend in women’s writing for a series with a strong female protagonist is reversed as Eva binds the series together, and while her individual life story is in Northern Spring, she’ll continue to be a driving force in the remainder of the series.

 Why did you decide to write this book?

I hit the hardest patch in my life in 2011- that of a broken relationship. While I was always content with my life, I was never really happy. So I wondered if it was only me or did this nagging thought process also penetrate minds of others? Thus, I embarked on the quest of finding the truth, more on the origin of happiness. The nosy writer in me awakened with each passing day.

Originally I had planned just one book; however, the insight given by more than three hundred folks across the globe made me realize that the storyline would be too complex if too many ideas crop up in one. Thus, I began to sketch an overview of characters in the series and ended up with having a massive character sketch. The plotting of the series itself took a span of three years.

What was your thought process behind writing this story?

I have always loved philosophy and been inspired by objectivity. Many books have been written about self-motivation and law of attraction and so on focussing on how to achieve what one wants in his/her life. In reality. however, human wants can never be completely satiated. Each person faces roadblocks in their life in various areas, personal, professional etc.

I have believed that we forget the most essential things running behind our endless aspirations. While the voice of the fair sex has always been ignored in the real world, very few realize that actually she is the one running the world. This wisdom, when utilised in the right direction, can transform the world and can also create a havoc otherwise.

While a lot of us speak about women empowerment, not many have the courage to actually act in that direction.

Northern spring celebrates the attributes of Balance, Patience and Courage. It’s about a woman who makes her Choices and accepts failure and successes gracefully. It’s about accepting changes and adapting to them.

– Northern Spring is part one of the series. How many more books are in this series? Do you have a specific plan for each of the books, or would you plan each one independently?

There are three more in the series. Yes, there is a specific plan for each of the books. They are interconnected and yet can be read independently as well. Each book will have its own set of female and male protagonists as well as side characters.

– We hardly see a romance novel with an independent female protagonist, with other interests as well. How did the inspiration for writing about Evangeline come to you?

That’s a great question. I see a shade of Evangeline in every other woman I meet in my daily course of life. I have met women of eclectic interests personally and have seen some struggling, while some triumphing as they deal with their own demons.

Evangeline is a unique character. More of an introverted- extrovert. Her thoughts are more intrinsic in nature, while her actions are unpredictable as they are driven by her conscious. Being an artist, her soul is that of a thinker and in the multitude of tasks that she accomplishes she is always herself.

– Any words of advice for other authors who are thinking of penning down a book?

Do it. Don’t think of what if’s or what will happen. The most important fact is to begin somewhere, start collecting facts if it is fact-based, research if you need additional information, start tapping sources that’ll feed your writing. I would, of course, recommend you all to read more on the subject you want to write on.

– Are you a reader? Which are your favourite books?

Yes I am. I have a collection of about three to four hundred books on diverse topics ranging from music to philosophy, science to literature in English as well as some of the native Indian languages.

My all time favourite authors include Ayn Rand, Shakespeare, Kalidas, Ernest Hemingway, Paulo Coelho, Barbara Taylor Bradford, Rabindranath Tagore, Ruskin Bond, Jane Austen and Bronte Sisters. Book names Atlas Shrugged, Fountainhead, Shakuntalam, King Lear and Sonnets, A Farewell to Arms, The Old man and the Sea, Pride and Prejudice, Geetanjali… phew this list is endless.

– How can the readers connect with you?

Here are the coordinates

Email: justanartist4u@gmail.com,

Twitter: @justanartist4u

FB: @AuthorCelesteYoung

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Interview with Abhishek Singh, author of “The Journey of Uncommitted Love @ Janshatabdi Express”

Abhishek Singh is the author of “The Journey of Uncommitted Love @ Janshatabdi Express.” He is working as a Service Engineer in the 2nd largest commercial vehicle manufacturer in India and has currently been transferred to PATNA, BIHAR from Kolkata after 1.5 years. Prior to this, he was working with AMW MOTORS LTD and was posted at BARBIL, ODISHA.

Abhishek is a simple, fun loving guy. Wherever he goes, he tries to fight away sorrow and sadness around him.  He always listens to his heart, or in other words, he listens to all but always does what his heart says. For him, his heart is always right. He dreams big and does not believe in impossibilities.

He believes that all impossible things just need a good start and each impossible thing can become possible. He likes to read novels, meet new people and loves to talk to friends. He enjoys exploring new places with friends.

Abhishek was born in a Rajput family and spent his childhood in TELCO COLONY – Jamshedpur, a town in Jharkhand. He has done his schooling from Shiksha Niketan TELCO and completed his education from Jamshedpur itself. He has done a 3-year full term apprentice from TATA MOTORS LTD JAMSHEDPUR.

His professional career started with AMW in 2010. In November 2012, he met a girl in Barbil-Howrah Janshatabdi Express and then the story started of Love, then Story started of uncommitted love which is adapted in NOVEL.

    

The book has been written in Hindi, yet, the name is ‘Uncommitted love” which is in English, why did you choose to name your book thus? –

–  Only the tag – “Uncommitted Love” suits this story and tHindindi translation of this name did not fit well.

2)       The book is on real life events, what was it that made you want to sit and turn it into the book? –

– I wanted to capture all the good and bad, sweet and sour, positive and negative memories of my experience into a place and thus, this book. I wanted to do something unique to persuade my parents to accept my uncommitted relationship.

 

3)       Did you face writer’s block while writing this? If so, how did you overcome it?

 Yes definitely, many a times during this long duration of 2 years of writing. My girlfriend kept guiding me and showing me the path to move ahead and my uncommitted relation has itself forced me to keep writing this.

4)       If you had to describe your book in one sentence what would it be? –

– Love is always UNCOMMITTED.

5)       If there was one thing that you could tell your readers in order to motivate them to read your book, what would it be? –  

–  This is for those young boys who have fallen in love,  whose heart beats for a girl, who dreams and sometimes even commit suicide for their love.

It’s for those girls who want love from their partner- true love , expect trust from their partner and want COMMITMENT.

6)       Have you written anything else, do you have plans to do so in future?

– Not written anything earlier, this is my first. If I get any good motivational story which really touches my heart, will try to do so.

7)       Are you a reader? If yes, which are the works that have inspired you?

– No, I am not a reader.

This is my own story and something within me forced me to put my feelings into a paper.

 

8)  How can the readers get in touch with you?

– My readers can get in touch with me by clicking here:

Website- www.abhiksingh.in

E mail ID- abhisachin007@gmail.com

Face book- Abhishek Kumar or abhisachin007@gmail.com  or  8763697607 (Wts app)

Twitter- https://twitter.com/Abhishe25197523

New Writer’s Tips: Words for Walking

There are many writers who do not experiment with common words and instead end up repeating the same word which ends up reducing the quality of narration. “Walk”, or even worse “moved”, is the most common word that is used this way.

Now, why do you need to use synonyms and what do I mean by reducing the quality of narration?

Imagine you are reading this:

Pinky walked to the candy store. Then she walked to the school. After a while, she walked home. Then Pinky and her mother thought of going to their Aunt Femina’s place. Since they did not have a car, they decided to walk there.”

Of course, this is a hyperbole but imagine the horror you put your reader through when you keep using the same word repeatedly.

So, here are some of the words that you can use (listed alphabetically) instead of “walk”:

• Accompany: Walk with someone
• Advances: Walk purposefully
• Amble: Walk Leisurely
• Ambulate: Walk
• Ankle off: Walk away
• Approach: Walk towards someone
• Barge: Walk forcefully
• Bimble: Walk slowly
• Bolt: Run
• Bounce: Walk energetically
• Careen: Walk in a way that the person is pitching dangerously to one side
• Charge: Run forward with an aim
• Clump: Walk clumsily
• Crawl: Move forward on hands and knees
• Creep: Walk slowly and carefully so as to not make any noise
• Dart: Run
• Dash: Run
• Dawdle: Walk slowly and idly
• Escort: Walk/ accompany someone somewhere
• Falter: Walk hesitatingly
• Flounder: Walk with difficulty
• Flounce: Walk in an exaggerated or angry manner
• Foot it: Depart
• Footslog: March for a long distance
• Forge ahead: Walk steadily
• Gallop: Walk at a great speed
• Gimp: Walk limply
• Hike: Long walk
• Hobble: Walk unsteadily
• Hoof it: Walk away
• Hurry: Walk fast
• Leg it: Walk away
• Limp: Walk impeded by physical injury
• Lumber: Walk heavily/clumsily
• Lurch: Walk as if unable to control one’s movements
• March: Walk rhythmically
• Meander: Walk in a circular manner
• Mince: Walk dedicatedly
• Mosey: Walk aimlessly
• Nip: Walk briskly
• Pace: Walk intently
• Parade: Walk in a procession
• Perambulate: Walk to investigate
• Peregrinate: Walk while travelling
• Plod: Walk slowly
• Pound: Walk slowly and heavily
• Power walk: Walk briskly, usually for exercise
• Prance: Walk with joy
• Promenade: Walk ostentatiously
• Prowl: Walk in a predatory manner
• Pussyfoot: Walk stealthily
• Ramble: Walk aimlessly
• Roam: Wander about
• Run: Walk at a great speed
• Rush: Walk with urgency
• Sashay: Walk in an ostentatious yet casual manner
• Saunter: Walk without any aim
• Scamper: Run with quick light steps
• Scuff: Walk while dragging one’s feet
• Scurry: Move hurriedly with short quick steps
• Shamble: Move with a slow, shuffling, awkward gait
• Shuffle: Walk by dragging one’s feet along
• Skulk: Walk stealthily
• Sprint: Run at full speed
• Somnambulate: Sleepwalking
• Stagger: Walk with difficulty
• Stalk: Walk stiffly
• Stomp: Walk heavily and noisily
• Stride: Walk with long steps
• Stroll: Walk leisurely without aim
• Strut: Walk with proud gait
• Stumble: Miss a step while walking
• Stump: Walk stiffly and noisily
• Swagger: Walk with proud gait
• Tiptoe: Walk quietly and carefully on one’s toes
• Toddle: A young child’s unsteady walk
• Totter: Walk with stagger
• Traik: Walk wearily or reluctantly over a long distance
• Traipse: Walk or move wearily or reluctantly
• Trudge: Walk heavily and firmly
• Waddle: Walk unsteadily
• Wade: Walk through shallow water

 

 

Agniputr: Book Review

When Agni First Spoke

Author: Vadhan

Publisher: Bloomsbury India

Book Blurb:

Many years ago, an extraordinary cripple disappeared from a remote village, ending a time of terror. Not many knew that he gave his life to confine a malevolence, the Sutram, to its subterranean womb or that in doing so, he had prevented the apocalypse.

Deep beneath the Earth the evil has lurked, fraying its shackles and plotting its escape, all the while gathering immeasurable power. Until now.

When ace lawyer, Raghuram Surya, received an order of requisition from the Government of India for his ancestral castle, he was unaware of the Sutram beneath it or his own legacy.

He will have to choose between the world’s end or his own.

Before long, the lawyer takes on India’s most powerful politician, Kiromal, a man utterly obsessed with power. Kiromal and his sinister Tantric advisor intend to use the evil beneath the castle to play God.

Raghuram finds an ally in Sheila, a scientist who is tasked to investigate the Sutram. Using Quantum science to interpret a Vedic verse, they have to unravel the secrets of creation to stop the destruction. Through it all, they have to be one step ahead of Kiromal just to stay alive.

Now is the time of final reckoning. Will Kiromal harness the evil to rule the world?

Or will the Sutram break free to eradicate the planet?

Or, are Raghuram and Sheila merely pawns in an even deadlier game?

My Review:

This is the book that reminded me why I love reading books!

This is a book that is an antidote to all the engineer love stories around that turns off people from picking up Indian authors.

The book is the perfect blend of science fiction, mythology, dark magic and much more! The writing is so lucid that you just get drawn into the world of the author’s imagination right from the page one!

The book deals with different timelines as well as includes various concepts of quantum physics with such ease that is rarely found. The author switches timelines with such ease that the reader just flows along with the words.

While I would love to discuss various parts of the books, I would not want to give away any spoilers. Instead, I would discuss why people who are readers, as well as non-readers who wish to start reading, would love this book. The book has excellent plot points, perfect pace, a great blend of mythology and action, great characterizations (I especially loved the play on the name of P. Eshwar..), and an extremely easy way of narrating it all.

The only con here was there were minor spelling mistakes here and there. Nothing too serious, and definitely should not be a reason for staying away from the book.

This is one author to definitely keep an eye on. Totally recommend this book.

Rating: 3 out of 4

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Double or Quits: Book Review

Author: Shilpa Gupta

Publisher: Jaico Publishing House

Book Blurb:

Racy, realistic and fast paced, Double or Quits traces Jyotsna Singh’s story against the backdrop of the treacherous stock markets.

Losing her father at the age of 12 and brought up under frugal circumstances, Jyotsna grows up too soon. Nervy and edgy by nature, she morphs into a confident and charming young woman with a successful career in Investment Banking.

Enter Aryan Sahani, rising corporate star and billionaire who wraps Jyotsna in his charms, but has plans of his own. Driven by her loyalty to the firm, a desire to break out of her lower middle class moorings and misplaced love, Jyotsna overreaches. She is soon faced with the dark side of the stock markets – a world where ambition, greed and fear rule and reputations are lost a lot faster than they are built.

Will Jyotsna be able to resurrect her life? Will she find the true love she has been craving? Double or Quits is a tale of love, betrayal and courage. It is a tale about falling down, but not staying down.

My Review:

Double or Quits is a quite fast paced book with an excellent story line and even better characterizations. While each part of the book is great, it was the characterization that took the cake.

The protagonist Jyotsna is a strong, independent and an intelligent woman with the world at her feet. Her fighting spirit sees her out of hell and all through the story you find yourself rooting for her. She, and the other characters, are so real and relatable that they feel like the people you meet regularly.

It is not just Jyotsna, but her relationship with the women and men around her give the story its fun element. The story covers elements from Jyotsna’s past to the present, to show the readers why she is the way she is, this was an excellent move! As a reader, after reading about her past, I could empathise with her as well as understand why she made a certain mistake that she did.

As the story has the backdrop of Investment banking, the author also includes explanations about the different terms quite effortlessly so even those who are not from commerce would understand Jyotsna’s work and the mistake that she makes which leads to her downfall.

For me, the best part of the book was after the downfall. I did not expect the way she would handle things the way she did. While I thought it would be something along the lines of “Orange is the new black” with long descriptions of sad, bland and dirty life along with many issues that she would face in adjusting to her ciscumstances, I was in for a surprise with the way the things turned up the way they did! This was the part where I actually fell in love with the character.

The only issue that I found was there were minor grammatical errors like “lied down” or “revert back”. If these errors would be sorted in the next edition, this one would be a faultless and perfect read.

I rate this book a 3 out of 4

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